This invention relates to a warmup garment used to maintain warmth in a single arm and shoulder of an athlete. During many typical athletic events such as baseball or football games, a participating athlete does not engage in continuous play, but instead enters and exits the game intermittently, participating only for short periods of time. Without proper warmup, a short burst of anaerobic activity--even if followed by a brief period of aerobic activity--can not only severely strain, but also seriously injure, the particular muscle groups and associated connective tissue being used by the athlete during the event.
While the problem of achieving and maintaining proper muscular warmup affects all types of athletes, baseball players face unique challenges. Much of a baseball player's success depends upon how well his pitching or throwing arm performs. Because a baseball player does not engage in continuous play throughout a game, retaining warmth, flexibility and limberness in the arm and shoulder area is particularly difficult. Furthermore, because baseball players enter and exit the game so quickly during and between innings, the arm and shoulder areas often do not adequately cool down after use, which exacerbates the risk of injury to muscle groups and connective tissue which may already be inflamed or damaged.
Prior attempts to address the specific needs of baseball players have been inadequate, in that prior art warmup devices typically must be secured to the wearer by using straps placed around the wearer's neck. Such straps make removal of the warmup device difficult and time consuming, as the wearer must use both hands to initiate removal. Furthermore, if the wearer needs to quickly remove the device, he must often resort to pulling the entire device over his head, which is disruptive and inconvenient, since it may require first removing a helmet or hat.
The invention of the present application addresses the problem of adequately maintaining warmth and flexibility in an athlete's arm and shoulder by providing a warmup garment having a single sleeve and a body portion which covers the arm, shoulder, and adjacent upper torso region. The garment includes a unique attachment panel that extends beneath the athlete's arm opposite the sleeve of the garment. The attachment panel connects to a front panel just below the athlete's sternum using fasteners that are easy to open and close. Positioning the attachment panel around the upper torso and placing the fasteners on the front panel allows the athlete to release the fasteners using only one hand, and quickly remove the garment without resorting to pulling it over his head. Furthermore, the increased width of the attachment panel enhances the overall comfort of the athlete by eliminating the pulling, pinching and tugging associated with conventional elastic straps commonly used on prior art warmup garments. Optional external and internal pockets positioned in the elbow and shoulder areas of the garment permit the use of therapeutic heating and cooling pads to enhance healing and preserve flexibility of specific muscle groups and connective tissues.
The warmup garment of the present invention uses commonly available materials and components which may be easily and inexpensively manufactured and supplied to the user in many different forms, resulting in a garment that is aesthetically pleasing, effective, and easy to use.